This piece was commission as part of the Minnesota Orchestra’s Young People’s Concert series (“The Color of Sound”) in which young students around the state field tripped to Orchestra Hall to gain exposure to the arts in a new way, and to possibly spark an unknown fire within a young person’s soul'.

The Music: Inspired by Johannes Brahms and his Hungarian Dances, Antonin Dvorak decided to write a series of 16 dances called Slavonic Dances. Originally written for piano, Dvorak later orchestrated the dances for the full symphony orchestra. Unlike Brahms who used actual folk melodies in his music, Dvorak used dance rhythms found in traditional Slavic music and then composed his own original melodies.

During the concert, you’ll hear Slavonic Dance, Op.46, No. 8 in G Minor. This dance is called a “furiant.” A furiant is just like it sounds—fast and furious—and often has accents (strong, emphasized sounds) in unexpected places. It will definitely keep you on your toes!